Tidy Up 4 > Step One: Search for duplicate items > How to choose a location > Applications Support Index

How to remove missing file’s records

A missing file’s record (commonly called Dead track, if in iTunes, or Missing image, if in iPhoto) can be recognized by an exclamation mark on the thumbnail in the corresponding application.

When you choose a search from iTunes’ music or iPhoto’s photos, Tidy Up will allow you to clean up the corresponding database by removing the records of the missing files.

Tidy Up will report automatically all the missing files it finds when searching in the iPhoto and iTunes databases.

For iTunes, Tidy Up reports dead tracks. A dead track is a song file no longer in the location where iTunes had registered it. Tidy Up will list the dead link files for easy review and management.

For iPhoto, Tidy Up reports missing images. A missing image is one in which an image file is no longer in the same location where iPhoto had registered it. Tidy Up will list the dead link files for easy review and management.

If, however, you want to search only for the missing records, you can follow the explanation of the image below. This is possible only in the Advanced Mode.

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To search for missing records (Advanced Mode):

1. In the Sources, choose the library (iTunes or iPhoto) from Application Support.

2. Visualize the correct criteria pane (Music for iTunes; Photos for iPhoto).

3. Select the report dead tracks (report missing images for iPhoto) option.

4. Click the Search button.

Note that this option can be added to a search or used by itself.

When the dead track or missing image report is ran (see image below), select any entries you wish to remove and click the Delete button.

You can visualize the record of a missing file double-clicking a row of the result list; Tidy Up will copy the name of the file and bring the application in front, allowing you to paste the name in the search field.

Note that unless you have moved the files from their original location by mistake, to have a well organized library, these records must be deleted. This action can’t be undone.

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